Detailed Guide to Summer Flower Watering and Transplanting Methods

After the plum rain season, with its abundant rainfall and high humidity that suits flower growth, ends, hot summer arrives right away. In a few days (July 13th), the dog days, which last quite a long time and are extremely unfavorable for flower growth (40 days this year), will begin, and this is a test for flower growers. This year's dog days are especially long. If flowers are not cared for well, they will become listless or even die, and your good mood will be gone too. This is especially true for those kept outdoors in direct sunlight. Once summer comes, even if your own care routine has not changed, why do the flowers, especially those particularly beloved ones with stories behind them, have yellow leaves? Look unattractive? Not plump? Why has the plant wilted? It is just like being sick, and you cannot figure it out no matter how hard you think. Your own flower-growing experience is already not enough.

In fact, most of these problems are related to the timing and method of watering. Because your watering time and method are wrong, you have damaged the photosynthesis function of the flower leaves. In our Jiangnan region, the temperature is now around 37 degrees, with intense heat overhead, which is the greatest harm to tender, lush green flowers. Right now it is clear and cloudless every day, and the sun is scorching, which is a test for lush flowers. Below, based on my own limited experience, I will talk about summer flower watering time, methods, and transplanting. As long as you follow these practices, there should be no problem for flowers to get through summer safely.

1. Flower watering time:

Choose the morning until before 12:30. According to my experience, watering during this period is no problem. Watering from 12:30 to 7 p.m. has a relatively big effect on flowers. From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., if the water touches the flower leaves when you water, the damage to the leaves is the greatest. Under the hot sun, leaf surfaces protect themselves. If they suddenly encounter cold water, and this happens often, the leaves will have problems. I will not go into the reasoning. In any case, if you must water in the afternoon, do not let the water touch the leaf surfaces (especially when sunlight is still shining on the flowers). The reason afternoon watering is not good is that by the afternoon the soil in the flowerpot has already been heated by the sun, and watering some herbaceous plants easily causes root rot. As for exactly after what time around noon you should not water, you can test it yourself. Here I am in the central Zhejiang basin, and watering before 1:30 p.m. is not much of a problem. For watering at noon, try to water later, because in the afternoon the sunlight is strong, and flowers need more water and evaporate more. If supply and demand are unbalanced, by evening the flowers will have lost too much water and it will be hard for them to recover. The disadvantage of watering in the morning and evening is that this period is too long, so water supply and demand are unbalanced, and watering in the evening is not good for flower recovery. The advantage of watering in the morning and at noon is that by watering in the morning, the flowers already have enough, and watering at noon satisfies the flowers' intense sun exposure and evaporation in the afternoon, which is very good for protecting the flowers.

Some people, because of time, work, or business trips, come home in the afternoon and see that the flowers are severely short of water, feel that they have been sun-dried and shriveled, the stems have also gone soft from the sun, and the leaves have curled up. If you encounter this situation, the plant is severely short of water and is protecting itself. Sudden watering is instead not good. Either move it to a shady place or increase the humidity of the flower-growing area. My suggestion is that I hope you water after 9 p.m., that is, water only after you feel that the flowerpot or the soil on the ground has completely cooled. After dark, misting the leaf surfaces should not be a big problem. Also, when watering in the morning, if the sunlight is strong, after 9:30 try not to let the water touch the leaf surfaces either.

2. Flower watering methods

Whether you can grow flowers depends on whether you can water them. New growers either often forget or are too diligent. In fact, flowers, like people, need to be thought about and cared for. No matter what kind of flower, water only after the soil has dried thoroughly, and when watering, be sure to water thoroughly. In summer the sunlight is strong, watering is frequent, and the soil in flowerpots easily becomes compacted and very firm. If your watering motion is very quick, and many people use a hose to flush water to save effort, then in fact most of the flower roots are not reached by the water. In summer, watering should be slow and patient. Loosen the shallow soil often. When watering, water along the flowerpot. Watering quickly just rinses the soil surface. You think the surface is wet, so the flowers have been watered thoroughly, but in fact they have not. If you go slowly, the water will gradually reach the flower roots. Pay special attention: after watering once, wait more than ten minutes, and when you see that the surface of the flowerpot is no longer glistening wet, water once more to top it up. This watering is especially critical. This water is what truly enters the soil. Most of the first watering may have run off. In other seasons, do not water unless the soil turns white. Succulent plants should also be watered less in summer, and absolutely must not be watered in the afternoon. We know that a watermelon cut open in the afternoon is especially warm, and the inside of succulent plants is also this hot. Once you water, the pores on their surface close. If this happens often, they will often be unable to breathe. With the inside warm, it would be strange if they did not rot.

3. Flower transplanting:

Transplanting flowers in summer, especially during the dog days, is the worst, but sometimes transplanting cannot be avoided. The method is very simple.

1. Transplanting between flowerpots:

Let the flowerpot be relatively dry. When we feel it is almost short of water, absolutely do not water it thoroughly before transplanting. When the soil is dry, the flower with the soil can be taken out as a whole block (it must be a whole block). If necessary, you can even cut or smash the old flowerpot (otherwise the flower cannot be taken out), then carefully transplant it into the new flowerpot, press the soil firmly around the edges, also cover the top with a little new soil, and let the bottom tray absorb water. Transplanted this way, it is no problem to put it directly in the sun the same day.

2. Transplanting from a flowerpot into the ground:

The method is the same, except that the hole in the ground must be dug well. The hole should be slightly deeper and slightly larger than the original flowerpot. The premise is that the flower must be brought with its original soil. Otherwise it is very hard for it to survive, especially for some flowers that have already begun to bloom and are relatively large plants. Cover the top with more new soil, and be careful when covering the root area.

3. Transplanting from the ground into a flowerpot:

The principle is the same. Do not water the flower being transplanted; it must be dry. Also, when digging it out, dig it out a little smaller according to the size of the flowerpot. Then carefully place it into the flowerpot and press it firm. After that, let the bottom tray absorb water.

One last point: for transplanted flowers, the first watering or bottom-tray water absorption must be thorough, absorbed thoroughly. Water according to how thoroughly the soil has dried. Do not water every day, especially for flowers being repotted or divided. Especially before summer, water thoroughly the first time. Before they have survived, as long as the soil has not dried thoroughly, try not to water. There is one more reminder: because there is a lot of watering in summer and the sun is strong, the soil easily becomes compacted, so loosen the soil often (shallow soil) and pay attention to applying a little light fertilizer regularly.